Communications by way of wireless dispatch communications has grown substantially over the past several years. This is especially true among certain types of businesses that require short and quick communications among employees. For example, the trucking industry typically requires short and quick communications between drivers and dispatchers in order for the delivery of goods and/or services to operate more smoothly.
Dispatch communications are half-duplex communications. That is, the allocation of the communication channel is to a single transmitting party at a particular time. In other words, only one party to a dispatch communication session has the channel floor for sending communications to the other party or parties to the session. The remaining party or parties do not have the channel floor at that particular time, and therefore, are merely receiving dispatch communications from the party that has the channel floor.
Generally, there are two types of method of controlling the channel floor in a dispatch communication session. These are typically referred to in the relevant art as “explicit floor control” and “implicit floor control.” In explicit floor control, explicit messages are generated for requesting and releasing the channel floor. For example, when a client presses the dispatch button on his/her dispatch communication device, the device creates and sends a request for the channel floor to a dispatch server. After the client speaks and releases the dispatch button, the device creates and sends a request to release the channel floor to the dispatch server.
When the dispatch server receives a message requesting the channel floor and the floor is available, the dispatch server grants the floor to the requesting party, and subsequently denies any further requests for the channel floor while the initial requester has the floor. When the dispatch server receives the message requesting a release of the channel floor, the dispatch server opens the channel floor and makes it available to the next party requesting the channel floor.
In an implicit floor control dispatch communication system, there are no messages created for explicitly requesting and releasing the channel floor. When a client presses the dispatch button on his/her dispatch communication device and begins to speak, the dispatch server interprets that as an implicit request for the channel floor. If the channel floor is available, the dispatch server grants the initiating party the channel floor, and subsequently denies any other party's attempt to obtain the channel floor while the initiating party has the floor. When the dispatch server senses that the dispatch communication has ceased after a predetermined time interval, the dispatch server interprets that as an implicit request to release the channel floor, and consequently opens the channel floor and makes it available to any party participating in the communication session.
Dispatch communication systems, and more generally, wireless communication systems including interconnect-based systems, are undergoing major changes. Third and fourth generation systems are undergoing development and/or are being implemented. Many carriers will soon be transitioning their first or second generation systems to third and fourth generation systems. Generally, these carriers will have a transition period where both their earlier generation systems and later generation systems operate simultaneously. Accordingly, some of these carriers will have the need to provide dispatch communications between the earlier generation systems and the later generation systems. In addition, the earlier generation systems may be “explicit floor control” systems and the later generation systems may be “implicit floor control” systems or vice-versa.